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Drainage board debates 75‑foot solar setback from ditches and who must enforce it
Summary
Board members, staff and the drainage board attorney debated whether a 75‑foot setback for solar equipment should apply to any ditch within a solar project, who enforces it, and whether previously approved plans require amendment.
The County Drainage Board spent a large portion of its July 21 meeting debating whether a 75‑foot setback for solar panels and related equipment must apply to any ditch inside a solar project — even ditches that are not county‑maintained — and which county office enforces that requirement.
The discussion centered on language in the county’s Unified Development Ordinance and related solar provisions. Board members and staff said the ordinance’s use of the word “internal” was intended to require a 75‑foot setback for any ditch on a solar parcel, not only ditches that form property lines. “That was my intent,” Jenny said, describing the drafting purpose: even a ditch that is not a property line should get the 75‑foot clearance to allow access and any filter strip planting.
Staff and board members…
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